The Vulnerable Mockingjay
by TheCourageousMockingjay
Summary: The games have finished. The war has been fought and won. But a year since Peeta and Katniss have returned back to District 12, Katniss feels that living with Peeta is becoming more of a battle. Peeta is still frequently very violent ('hijacked') toward her, making the poor Mockingjay more vulnerable.. What will the Mockingjay do next? First ever Fanfic! Please follow and fav!
1. Chapter 1

I clench the edge of the blanket and pulled it to the bottom of my chin and crossed my arms very tightly as the coldness nips at my skin. I bring my legs up to my chest to keep in the warmth even though the fire place is steaming with a high temperature flame.

"Let me out!" I hear Peeta screaming and banging on our bedroom door. I sit frozen on the armchair ignoring his constant outbursts.

Earlier, just as the sun settled over the horizon we were all cuddled up sitting comfortably on our bedroom windowsill, watching the sun slowly melting into the edge of the planet. But this sunset was special because it spitted out Peeta's favourite colour orange. It was exactly the same type of sunset we watched setting over the training centre the night of the Quarter Quell. "It's so beautiful, isn't it?" He whispers into my ear which made me laugh loudly. I nod sheepishly with a small, cute giggle. And then we just sit tangled in each other's bodies until the sky goes from a beautiful orange to pitch black. "We better get all cleaned up." Peeta says breaking the romantic silence. He picks me up into a bridal carry and gently lies me down onto our unbelievably comfortable bed while he goes into the bathroom.

20 minutes later, I still lay still with my head buried in the soft pillows, staring at the ceiling, remembering both arenas, remembering the nightmares and remembering Peeta's reaction when I told him I loved him for the first time and…

Bang!

I leaped into a sitting position without any hesitation, heart pumping 100 miles per hour. The loud, deafening sound came from the bathroom. I stand up quickly causing my head to spin. "Peeta?" I say, knocking on the wooden door.

No response.

I knocked several times before entering but when I opened the door ever so slightly, Peeta forces the door closed causing me to spring back. "Sorry!" I say as calmly as possible. I walk back to the bed and position myself on the bed cross- legged in the direction of the bathroom, waiting for Peeta's appearance. After several moments, Peeta appears. His lower body only wrapped in a snow-white towel and his silky golden hair falling into his sea blue eyes.

"Why did you take so long?" I say cheekily. I crawl to the edge of the bed, biting my lip. Attempting to be sexy but Peeta completely ignores me. I disappointedly stare at Peeta who now stands directly in front of the shimmering mirror, "What was that loud crash, Peeta?"

No response, he just stares at himself, tidying his hair up.

Again, I stand on my bare feet and walk over to him. I wrap my arms around his large, muscular chest and I press my dry lips on his soaking wet cheeks. Then, I rested my head on his shoulder and stared into the mirror; that's when I realized the blood.

I gasp and grabbed Peeta's right hand, "Oh my God, Peeta. What happened?" But again I received no response. Peeta snatched his large hand back. I step back slowly as if I was about to be slaughtered. Retreating to the door, Peeta began to write on the mirror with his flowing blood.

I tiptoe across the huge room to escape but I catch my feet on the edge of our expensive rug, I fall backward and crash my head against the hard flooring, creating the most agonising pain my head. I scream out loud as the pain stabbed through the back of my head and through my skull. The pain was as agonising as my wounds in both arenas, maybe even worse.

Excluding the pain, I ran quickly to the door, panting heavily as if I was back in the first arena, because I notice as I close the door the sentence he had written on the mirror was…

She's a mutt.

~TheCourageousMockingjay Friday, 5th July 2013.


	2. Chapter 2

So, here it is Chapter two! I would just like to thank you guys so much for reading this, it means soo much to me as I've always wanted to be an author or a writer. Please comment your opinions and thoughts below! Please comment if you find any errors or you could even comment what you would like to see next happen to Katniss and Peeta in the next chapters! Once again, thank you! So without further a due… Enjoy..!

I knock back into consciousness when I hear a loud thump coming down the stairs. My heart leaps into action and I could feel it beat hard against my chest. I sit up in the armchair and swiftly rotate my head to peer over the back of the antique armchair. A quick shudder runs down my spine, I glance around nervously into the shadows of the room as it isn't quite sunrise, so the darkness floods the room creepily.

Nothing's there.

Then, an anonymous hand comes down on my shoulder, I scream loudly as the chair is pushed downward toward the wooden floor and the face of which the hand belongs to appears faintly, towering on top of me. Before I could even flinch his hands took a hard grip around my throat. Peeta's name slips out of my mouth and I tightly grab hold of his hand to loosen his compact and force upon my throat. "Peeta's not here to help you, Mockingjay." He says clamping my throat firmer.

A small scream escapes my mouth. The dreadful pain against my throat is agonising and beyond anything I've ever experienced. But all of a sudden his grip loosens, "Run, Katniss, run." Peeta yelled with shimmering tears running down his cheek. I dramatically sit up and pulled myself upon my feet, staring at Peeta who I could only see slightly. He was whispering to himself as if he were two different people, "No, you can't stop me." He paused for a brief moment, "I will stop you. Nothing will hurt her as long as I'm here." "Oh shut up!"

I tip toe towards him, "Peeta, are you ok?" I say carefully.

"Go away you filthy Mockingjay." Peeta spits as if I'm a dirty peasant.

I breath in to speak but I'm interrupted before I could say anything, "Katniss go get out before I hurt you, please. I beg you."

I get a slight glimpse of Peeta's teary face who stared directly toward me. I gently move my feet back and run to the hallway. How can Peeta still be hijacked? He must have spent a long time knocking the door off those hinges. I quickly slip those thoughts out of my head and focused on getting to the drawing room without getting hurt. Before entering the room I hear Peeta scream, "Ha ha ha, you think I'm dangerous don't you Miss Everdeen! Ha ha ha! I'll come and get you and slaughter you until only little chunks of you remain."

My heart roars and the now quickened beat drums loudly in my ears. He can kill me, not Peeta; but that thing in the other room could do me some serious damage. I stride to the gigantic varnished wooden desk and sit on the hot, red, leather chair. I searched the drawers along the left side of the desk for any weapons or anything I could use to defend myself.

BANG!

The door slams wide open and a zombified Peeta stands in the door way. I glare up and move quicker than lightening.

The Bottom drawer was next. My shaken, snow white hand reached for the handle.

"Hello, Mockingjay. Are you ready to have your wings clipped? And your beak ripped off?" I look up to find Peeta staring down at me over the desk; our faces only centimetres away. I didn't dare speak. My hand orbits the drawer and I examine it. I feel several fingers underneath my chin; my head is then manipulated to rotate, "Look at me when I talk to you Girl on Fire. It's rude to ignore people when they speak."

I glance into his sea- blue, blood shot eyes. "Maybe I don't want to listen to what you have to say." I spit. My hand grabs a hard wooden handle. _This has to be the knife I keep in there._ I thought. I swiftly peek down into my hand. A sense of relieve sprits through my body and I hold on tightly ready to pounce. But I suddenly feel a stabbing pain on my right cheek and my head bashes against the sharp end on the desk. "Don't ever talk to me like that." Peeta shouts. He hooks and tangles his hand within my hair, pulling it harshly and catapulting me off the huge armchair, slamming me to the ground. "Oww!" I scream. Realizing the agonizing pain in my hip, I must have stabbed myself with the knife. "Ha-ha!" Peeta laughs, hauling me to my feet. "N'aww, did little Peeta hurt the Mockingjay?" He teases, holding my shoulder tensely. I begin to pant and I stare directly into Peeta's eyes, "Help me Peeta." I whisper.

"He can't hear you." He says harshly but he quickly loosens his grip on my shoulder and limps toward the window. "Go away Loverboy, There's nothing you can do to save her."

"Please, I beg you. Leave her alone." He twitches, "No. She's mine now and you'll never see her again." Peeta twitches again but this time more violent, "No. Don't you dare?" Peeta turns to me with such hatred. _Oh, no._ I thought. I stare down at my hand which covered my wound that is now caked in warm, fresh, blood. I gasped.

_I'm going to die. _

~TheCourageousMockingjay Saturday, 6th July 2013.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey! I'm sorry it has taken so long to write this chapter but I really hope you enjoy this! Please review, fav and follow : ) Thank you 3

...

I stand poised to the spot letting my precious, warm blood drip and flow down my body to create a blood pool on the floor underneath me. I stare at Peeta who now sits on the window ledge looking out the window toward the rest of the victor's village. I glance with such hatred that quickly drains all my energy. I tightly grip my stabbed wound to hold in the blood but too much blood flowed.

I suddenly drop to my knees, splashing into my own fresh tomato red blood. I glare at Peeta for help but he didn't move; he sat there as if he is a copper statue. I try calling out to Peeta but nothing comes out of my mouth, not even a whisper. My breathing begins to get heavy because a shock of realization pops into my head. _That knife was covered in Nightlock juice ._I thought. _It's poison._

My body bends forward and my hands crash to the floor offering support. I feel the poison run through my veins which sends a sharp stinging sensation through my vulnerable body. Perhaps I have only a few minutes to live, maybe longer, and maybe even shorter, I don't know. I exhale loudly and begin to gasp for a huge gulp of oxygen.

The stinging poison electrifies by body violently, making me fall face- first on the hard flooring, splashing my face with my own wet blood.

I'm just able to turn myself to lie on my back to help be breathe more frequently_. Inhale. Exhale_, I thought.

My heavy eyes begin to drop and flutter between consciousness and unconsciousness. My head knocks hard to the floor in the direction of Peeta. I stare at him, hoping he will look at me in this agonising situation to help me. But it's too late…

The light fades into darkness slowly, and then I see nothing.

...

Peeta's POV

I glare toward Haymitch's house wishing he would come over and help me to help Katniss. She doesn't deserve to live with a psycho. If she lives with me she'll most certainly get fatally injured. I don't dare look at Katniss. I don't want to see what I've done. I bring my legs up toward my chest and hug my legs tightly. I bury my head in my knees praying for help.

After moments of silence I gently take my head from my knees feeling my warm, salty tears streaming down my cheeks. I swiftly rotate my head to see if Katniss was still in the room. But I'm threatened by what I see. My stomach twists into strong knots and more tears begin to flow. "Katniss!" I whisper in terror.

Without hesitation I ran toward her and kneel beside her body drenching myself in her blood. _What have I done?_ I ask myself. I hold her body closely against my chest and I feel her soft breath on my neck, which sends a sense of relive through my body. I cry even harder when I realize where the blood was coming from. I press my hand against her wound and put pressure on it to reduce the blood flow. "I'm so sorry, Katniss." I whisper into her ear tenderly. I press my lips against her pale cheek and I let her go. I place her softly on the floor where her blood flooded on the hard wooden floor. I search around the room desperately, looking for the weapon I potentially used. I examine through the drawers of the desk and the surrounding cabinets and found nothing.

I hurry back to Katniss and rested her head on my lap. I begin to tremble. I searched through her jacket and trouser pockets to find a weapon. But I find nothing. I kiss her cold tender lips and run to the door way.

I stood there examining the room from the spot, and I'm immediately blinded by a bright light. I walk over to where the reflected light is coming from and find a blood covered knife. I drop to my knees and stare at Katniss who lies still on the floor. _What have I done? What have I done!_ I think. After moments of grieving over Katniss, I remember the one thing she needs to survive_. I need to get the healing juice which Haymitch gave us…_

I rush to Katniss with the Juice in hand and I pour the liquid into her opened mouth. Hoping she'd swallow.

But I'm disappointed as her body temperature still drops and her breathing begins to get slow. I pull her body close to my heart and cry...

"I love you," into her ear.

~TheCourageousMockingjay Saturday, 27 July 2013


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm so sorry for taking so long to write this chapter, it is a lot longer than the other chapters! Please let me know what you think in the reviews! Thank you for reading... Enjoy...**

Katniss' POV

I feel the hot firing juice spilling down my throat and drain into the pit of my stomach and then I feel nothing. Nothing at all as if I have just nodded off into a deep sleep.

_Dream_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_I walk through the woods holding nothing but an old rope. When I look down at myself I'm star struck by what I'm wearing; it's a long' short sleeved; v- neck; plain; white dress and I wear no shoes or socks on my pale white feet. I feel my long chocolate brown hair falling upon my shoulders when the wind stops running my hair away from my face._

_The sky is pitch black and I have no idea where I'm heading, I just follow where my legs take me. Shortly afterwards I hear someone whisper my name, it's as if it were a Jabberjay speaking to me from the tree tops. When I looked up however, I saw nothing but the shadowed trees._

_"Katniss?" The voice whispered softly, "Katniss?"_

_I reach the highest hill in the woods and see in the distance, a single tree standing independently and a figure standing on the thick tree branch holding the same old rope but around their neck and the other end tightly tied on the tree trunk._

_"Peeta?" I shout drawing closer to the tree. Still holding the rope in hand, unsure on what I'm meant to do with it._

_"Katniss, I told you to run when they came after you. But I'm glad you got my message." He smiled at me from the tree branch._

_"What message?" I ask confused._

_"To meet me here at mid- night." He says smiling wider, "Are you going to come up here with me."_

_Feeling controlled and confused I climb the tree._

_Peeta took my hand and pulled me into his chest, "You know I never killed those three men, you know I didn't do such a thing." He took the old rope out of my hand and fashioned a tied loop on the end, "Wear it as a necklace, and jump by my side, so we both can be free." He smiled a sad smile, and I couldn't help myself but smile back, still completely confused on what's happening._

_I slip the rope around my neck as though I was a puppet being manipulated by a giant. "Hold still, Katniss." Peeta says while tying the other end of the long rope to the thick tree branch. "Ready?" He asks grabbing my hand tightly._

_I immediately nod not realising what we're going to do, "I love you, Katniss." Peeta says._

_"I love you too, Peeta." We don't look at each other or even turn our heads to sneak a last peek; we just stare into the distance, hand in hand._

_"After three, then we jump. 1…" We both suck in a deep breath at the same time and our hands grip harder. "2…" That's when I look at Peeta, and our eyes met. Peeta sighed and said, "3…" and we jumped…_

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

_End of dream_

I flip back into consciousness clasping my neck. As soon as I sit upright however, my head spins violently and I crash back down into the soft silky pillows. How did I get here? I asked myself in a hushed tone. Realizing where I was – in my own bed. The last thing I remember is lying in the study, calling out to Peeta for help. But he never came. Then all of a sudden, I remember nothing.

I swift my body position to the right hand side to see the trashed bedroom which is illuminated by the moonlight.

I take the bed sheets off my body and freak at the amount of blood covering the sheets and my clothes. Then an agonising pain roars in my hip causing me to curl up into a ball, wincing. Then the pain just vanished.

I yank my blood stained tank top up to my rip cage and stare at the source of the pain – a healing stab wound. My stomach twists into knots, what happened?

I swing my feet off the side off the bed and sit up planting my dizzy head into my weak hands. But bending down triggers the pain again, but I ignore it and stand to my shaky, unsteady feet.

I slowly pace through the bedroom toward the bathroom, cautious about where I place my bare feet. The wooden flooring is cold underneath my toes and it sends a cool chill right through my body. Accidently I misplace my right foot and knock a shard of glass causing a loud sound to occur.

Suddenly the entire room lights up. I freeze where I stood, staring at the blood stained mirror. The one short sentence written in blood repeats repetitively in my head, haunting me of the memory when we saved Peeta from the Capitol's captivity. I remember the time when I saw Peeta for the first time in the hospitals fertilities in district 13, all beaten up from non-stop torture in the Capitol's prison cells. Cuts, bruises and scars on every inch of his body, I hated the sight but all I wanted to do was hug him close and cry in his arms. However, I mainly remember when he tightly clasps my throat trying to kill me on our first meeting for months. The strangling sensation took hold of my neck again and I begin to choke.

"Katniss?" The voice said in a surprised tone. My legs give away and I automatically fall to the ground choking.

Peeta's POV

I catch Katniss as she fell and held her tightly in my bakers' arms. I thought she was dead a few hours ago and now she's alive choking. The Healing juice thankfully worked. But why is she choking?

"Katniss, please stop choking." I say patting her on the back like a new-born baby after having some milk. Katniss then begins to cough steadily and calms down. "Katniss?" I say stroking her hair out of her Seam- grey eyes.

"Peeta?" She whispers with a small smile on her face and her beautiful eyes fluttering open and closed. "What happened to me?" She asks with a shimmering tear falling on her cheek, I wipe it away immediately.

"I think I stabbed you Katniss, I am so sorry," I say crying myself, over whelmed by what I've done to my Mockingjay. "I'm just so happy the healing juice worked or you'll be dead by huge amounts of blood loss." Her face is emotionless and her eyes stare deep into mine. I lean down and kiss her freezing cold lips, and I feel her lips kiss back softly. I pull away and she sighs, "I'm sorry Peeta."

"There's nothing to be sorry about Katniss." I place my hand on her cheek and stroke her softly. "Why were you choking Katniss?" I ask interested and worried.

Her expression was astonished with realization and she says, "I had a dream and it reminded me of the time we met in District 13 after we recued you from the Capitol. And you strangled me." She sat up and ripped my arms off her gently, and sat in front of me, her face only inches away from mine. "The dream just reminded me and seeing what's written on the mirror haunted me of the memory."

"Katniss, I am so sorry for scaring you, you know I can't control my hijacking. That's why you should run when I'm out of control, just like what Haymitch keeps telling you." I sigh and focus on the floor with even more tears in my eyes.

At this moment I just wished I had the manacles on which I wore during the last stages of the war; I want to dig those manacles deep into my scared wrists to punish myself just like I did back then. Those manacles held me together; they protected Katniss from my ticks. That's all I want to do- Protect Katniss.

"Peeta?" Katniss says softly, cupping my head in her small, beaten hands. I look up at her with my eyes flooding with salty tears. Our eyes connected and I'm stunned by her beauty, even if her face is covered in dried blood. My focus went back to the floor blinded by my tears; I stare at my wrists and glared at my scars. I sigh loudly, "You know what Katniss? I just wished I never took those manacles off." I let the tears stream down my cheeks and onto the floor. Katniss pulled my face up gently again and kissed me full on the mouth.

She pulled away moments later and said, "Peeta, don't say that. Look at what those manacles did to you," Katniss held my wrists and showed me the scars, "you don't need to add to your scars." She kissed me again over and over, "We will get over it, together." She said in between kisses.

It was me who pulled away this time, and I placed my hand on her healing wound. Once again our eyes connect, "Peeta Mellark, stay with me forever." She begs.

I wipe my tears and say that one word that regularly makes Katniss smile, "Always."

**As usual please, review, fav and follow : ) **

**~TheCourageousMockingjay Tuesday, 4th August 2013 **


	5. Chapter 5

**I deeply apologise for taking so long to write this chapter, I've been focusing on revision and school work! This Chapter is a lot longer than the others! Please fav, follow and review, it would mean so much and I would love to know what you think : ) Enjoy… **

Katniss' POV

Ever since the Uprising, clearing my head has become more of a challenge and nothing seems to slip out of my head without causing deep depression. Honestly, if it wasn't for loving Peeta, I would have committed suicide a long time ago to end my suffering; but I have to live with it.

The chilly breeze sprints pass me, brushing my loose hair out of my face, as I stride along the woodland soundlessly. In hand, I hold my father's old bow and compressed to my back: my quiver full of arrows. I tread carefully on the soiled ground, determined to not make any sounds. I load my bow and hold the string in my other hand- but after a long time, nothing came along.

Growing terribly impatient, I just begin to walk normally ignoring how much sound I make. I dramatically throw my bow on the ground; irritated at a thought that pops into my head. I angrily take my quiver off my back and also throw that to the ground, spilling my arrows everywhere. I drop down to my knees and burst into tears.

_Flashback_

On the morning of Peeta's hijacking episode, Peeta and I woke up cuddled together on the glass covered floor of my bedroom. I remember sitting up with a throbbing pain in my left cheek. I ran to the blood stained mirror and saw a tiny shard of glass poking out of my cheek- shocked, I immediately pull it out of my flesh and completely ignore the sharp pain in my cheek which came shortly afterwards. The sick taste of blood appeared in my mouth and I automatically spat it out.

Looking back at my mirror, I noticed a black bruise occurring around my eye and a purple/yellow bruise popping up on my forehead. Not really remembering what had happened earlier because it happened too quickly, my breathing began to increase and I violently begin to pant. Holding my heart as if I had a heart attack, I saw Peeta sitting up cautiously and our eyes met. Peeta's arms soon embraced me to calm me down.

I calmed and Peeta pulled away staring at me, astonished with my extreme bruises. "Katniss," Peeta said, bringing his hand up on my cheek, "How can you put up with a mutt?"

I fell silent at that and pushed his hand away from my face as he had pressed on my cheek wound, hurting me.

"I can't put up with it, Peeta." I sucked in a breath and said, "I don't know how I can put up with you when you go crazy but," I pause and choose my words carefully, "I- I lo-ve you, Peeta. My love for you is the reason I'm still here, it's the reason I haven't run off to commit suicide." Peeta stepped even closer and grabbed my hands, "I love you too, girl on fire." Our eyes met once again. I step away and let go of his hands.

"But, Peeta, I can't cope anymore, not after what happened this morning." I step further and further away from him, and grabbed my father's old leather jacket, which hung on the back of my bedroom door. Staring at Peeta like a predator, I slip the jacket on quickly, and step out on to that hallway, still staring, "I'm sorry Peeta." I whispered before running down the stairs.

I stand up in my new hunting boots at the bottom of the stairs; I walk toward the front door. "Katniss, don't go." Peeta said running down the stairs, topless. I turned around to look at him and just smiled a sympathetic smile before walking out the door, slamming the door behind me.

As I walk away the door opens, and Peeta fired out grabbing my arm, "Katniss, please, I'm sorry."

Tension grew, "Peeta, GET OFF ME." I scream with a salty tear streaming down my face and I push him hard against the wooden door. And I immediately regret the motion and sprinted off toward the woods, so I didn't see Peeta's astonished face.

_End of flashback _

A week later, I'm still in the woods; sleeping in the tree tops; bathing in the lake my father showed me when I was 11, just before he died, I hunt for my food, and then just sit in depression on the woodland floor until the sunlight turns into complete darkness.

Now, I'm doing exactly that. Sitting uncomfortably on a pile of old rocks with a sharp glassy surface, letting irritable thoughts shoot through my head. My body tenses tightly when I think of what Peeta's face must have been like when I pushed him into the door; my body just generally winces at the thought of Peeta. I push the thought out of my head and pick up my father's bow and the bundle of arrows and stride through the woods like a stubborn child.

As the sun finally sinks into the earth, I perk upon soil beside the giant lake, eating a cooked wild rabbit, staring at the beautiful sunset. I throw the remains in the Lake, lay my head down and stare at the early evening sky blanking all incoming thoughts.

Peeta's POV

On account of recent events, I've cleaned Katniss' house from top to bottom in hope she'll come back and forgive me. I've painted several paintings of objects Katniss keeps close to her heart; one being a painting of sweet little Prim. I've also re-decorated her bedroom in a highly fashionable vintage design; she loved from the Victory Tour in District 3's hotel bedroom.

I lay warm underneath Katniss' bed sheets and stare at a photo of us on the bedside table. I wish she were here, by my side. I wish I never let her go. I wish I never survived the Capitols captivity because of what they made me into… a Mutt.

My eyes snap open at the image of Katniss behind my eyelids. I awake to a pitch black room, panting. "Katniss?" I whisper.

"Don't be stupid, Peeta." I say after moment's silence. _Go out and find her, _said an anonymous voice in my head. I throw the bed sheets off me completely and gracefully reposition my body till my feet touch the floor. Where will she be? She'll obviously be in those woods of hers; but where in those huge woods?

I rip the thoughts out of my head and get dressed quickly into warm, slimming, fashionable clothes. I grab a hunting knife out of the cupboard and a new hand-crafted bow by Katniss herself. She had recently taught me the basics in the woods; she had said I had a pretty good aim. I smile at the thought and grab a powerful flashlight. I shut the cupboard cautiously and with determination I bolt through the front door into the night and jog steadily into the woods; flashlight in hand, lighting the passage ahead as if it were daylight. "Katniss!" I shout into the distance hoping Katniss isn't far away.

I walk on, steadily, determined to find my Girl on Fire.

Katniss' POV

I wake up calmly as the sun begins to slowly rise above the lake. I had no nightmares fortunately, however, waking up just seemed as if I just woke up into a horrifying nightmare. I rub the sleep from my eyes and sigh loudly. _My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am eighteen years old. My home is District 12. I survived The Hunger Games twice. I was the Mockingjay. I brought down the Capitol. President Snow killed my sister. I pushed my best friend Gale away. I pushed Peeta away. Why didn't I die in the arena? Or why didn't I let Peeta kill me? I was the Girl on Fire… _I thought.

Then, I, without realizing it spoke aloud, "Now, I'm the Fire Girl who should finally let her sparks fade."

Peeta's POV

I remember when Katniss brought me to the lake a few weeks ago to teach me how to fish, which didn't succeed at all. I bet that's where she'd be… She always spoke highly of the place as it's a memory of her father. I walked quickly through the woods, bow in hand. Flashlight attached to my belt walking impatiently in the direction of the huge lake.

I load my bow with an arrow and hold it steadily as I approach the lake. When the lake was in full view, I peer through a gap in the trees and bushes to make sure there were no predators out that would tear me into pieces. But surprisingly; all I see is Katniss, my lost Katniss standing at the edge of the lake side, staring out over the lake.

Still holding the loaded bow, I soundlessly walk around the cluster of trees and advance toward her. She was only a few metres away, but I froze when I hear a sharp howling sound nearby. Katniss didn't react and just stood where she was… she stood as if she were a copper statue. I held the bow up pulling back the string; ready to aim and any threats that appear. I stride out of the shadows and tie-toe to Katniss, still alert of my surroundings. I turn back to the trees and check the tree tops for any wild beasts; I examined the woodland floor and nothing pounced out at us.

SPLASH. I automatically turn around and throw the bow to the floor. "Katniss!" I shout as I see her walk further and further out into the lake, fully clothed and with huge rocks in her hands. "Katniss!" I scream as I watch her place the rocks into her father's hunting jacket. "Katniss! Please." I say pleadingly while jumping into the shallow end of the lake.

"Peeta?" Katniss said surprised. Her eye all red and puffy from the floods of tears she has shed. Her beautiful curly brown hair down over her shoulders all soaked from the filthy water; her face appeared all beaten up and pale.

"Katniss what are you doing?" I say worriedly, walking slowly out to her.

"I'm ending my suffering. Finally letting my flames die out. I…" she paused thinking about her words, "I love you Peeta. I'm sorry" she cries loudly and begins the pant violently.

"No, Katniss! Please. I love you too but please don't do this." I say and I walk up a few yards away almost able to grab her.

"No. Peeta let me go." She cries.

"Well, if you really want this; I must go with you. We can drift off together. There's not life without you." I grab her right hand and place it against my heart, "It beats for you." I whisper, pulling her into an embrace.

We stand chest deep in the lake, holding each other's bodies close. Breaking the moment, I shove my hand into her jacket and clasp one of the rocks and dropped it onto the Lake Floor, "What are you doing?" Katniss asked.

"Stopping you from doing this, we have our whole lives to live. We can suffer together, but we can't die now." I cup her face in both my hands, "I'm sorry for everything. You're my Girl on Fire. You've saved my life on several occasions; now, it's my turn. Please, come with me back home. We are only 18, survived two Hunger Games, and survived the big rebellion. We can survive this. Whatever this is?"

All Katniss had to say was; "Okay." And she followed me out of the lake.

"Peeta?" Katniss whispered as we stood on the edge of the lake, tightening the grip on my hand. "There is only one condition," She sighed "you made me a promise before the second arena," We stopped walking and stared deep into the centre of each other's hearts.

"Which promise?" I ask confused and light headed.

She broke the eye connection and stared at the floor with a shy facial expression. "Stay with me."

Once again I cup her face and kiss her lips passionately. When I pushed away, one word came out through my mouth,

"Always."

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**Thursday 12****th**** September 2013 ~TheCourageousMockingjay3**


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